Health Snippets June 29th, 2017

Hay Fever

Cases of hay fever are on the rise, the reason is up for debate, it could be climate change, the pollen season is now longer, and possibly we have lower levels of the right type of bacteria’s to stop our immune systems overreacting. But what can we do? Choose sunglasses that wrap around, to prevent pollen entering your eyes. Try a barrier in your nostrils such as Vaseline or a specially made product to trap pollen. Pollen rises during the day and then descends in the evening, making night-time symptoms worse, avoid going outside at these trigger times if possible. Think twice about drying clothes/bedlinen outside or at least in the evening, to avoid bringing trapped pollen into your home. Discuss with your GP if antihistamines and/or intranasal corticosteroids are the right treatment for you.

Caffeine

Did you know that if you drink a cup of coffee around 5pm, by the time 10pm rolls around, you will still have half the amount of caffeine from the drink in your blood stream. If sleep is an issue for you, switch to decaf after 5pm. Don’t forget that caffeine is found in medications and soft drinks among other things, so you may be getting more than you think!

Blood Pressure

Have you had your blood pressure tested recently? It is something that can be done by a Pharmacist or a Practise Nurse. Very often people with high blood pressure or those considered pre-hypertensive would have no symptoms, hence why the condition is often referred to as a ‘silent killer’. Risk factors are smoking, poor sleep, being overweight, taking too little exercise, drinking too much alcohol, a poor diet low in fruits and vegetables and an excess of salt. Blood pressure often rises when you reach your 30’s, so it is a good time to get a base line number. If all is well a retest can be done every 3-5 years, if it is high or higher than is advisable your specialist will make a plan.